Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

The $10 million secured for this pool actually arose through an application by the Mount Barker council through the Building Better Regions Fund. In fact, the only reason Mount Barker is eligible to receive funding through this fund is because of the lobbying efforts of the current Centre Alliance candidate for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie. In round 1 of the fund, Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills were not considered regional while cities like the Gold Coast were. Thanks to Ms Sharkie's efforts in advocating on behalf of her community, the government realised its error and the council was able to apply for this funding. Commitments such as this are made to a community; they are not made to guarantee a job and they are not made with the threat of removal should the government's candidate not be successful at the upcoming by-election. We support Senator Hanson-Young's motion and call on the government to honour this commitment irrespective of the result of the upcoming by-election.

Question agreed to.